The present invention relates to a lever-fitting connector assembly which allows a connector and a mating connector to be fitted to each other by rotating a lever provided on the former connector. More particularly, the invention relates to an assembly structure formed by assembling a connector having a lever and other connectors together.
This invention is applied in a field of producing a connection device of wires.
The lever-fitting connector assembly includes a female connector having a fitting hood. This connector includes a male connector having a male connector body which is fitted into and disengaged from the fitting hood. The connector includes a lever which is rotatably supported by the inner wall of the fitting hood or the outer periphery of the male connector (e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open Nos. 2002-280111 and 2002-359028). According to this connector, the rotating motion of the lever allows the male connector body to fit into the fitting hood or allows the male connector body to be disengaged from the fitting hood.
In this connector, the connector body is fitted into the fitting hood, and a male terminal housed in a male connector and a female terminal housed in a female connector are connected to each other. The connection between these terminals is released by separating of the male connector body from the fitting hood. In this case, an insertion force for inserting the male connector into the female connector is reduced by a lever using this principle.
In this connector, in order to obtain a waterproof function, a seal member is interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the connector body and the inner peripheral surface of the fitting hood. A waterproof hood is provided on each of an outer side of the hood of the female connector and an outer side of the male connector body (outer side of the lever). The waterproof hood covers fitted portions between the fitting hood and the male connector body.